Cut the bread into 1/2-inch cubes and spread them on a baking sheet. If your bread is already stale, you can skip this step, but if it’s fresh, toast the cubes at 350°F for about 15 minutes, stirring halfway through, until they’re dry and lightly golden. This ensures the bread will absorb the broth evenly without becoming mushy. Let the toasted bread cool slightly, then transfer to a large mixing bowl.

Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Once melted and foaming, add the diced onions, celery, and a pinch of salt. Cook for 8-10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are soft and translucent and the onions begin to caramelize slightly—this develops the foundation of flavor for your stuffing. Add the minced garlic and cook for another minute until fragrant. I prefer using freshly minced garlic over jarred because it releases so much more aroma and flavor into the butter.

Stir in the fresh sage, parsley, and rosemary (or their dried equivalents) and cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly. This brief cooking step releases the essential oils from the herbs and distributes their flavor throughout the butter and vegetables. The aroma should be incredible at this point. Then add 1 cup of the broth, scraping up any flavorful bits stuck to the bottom of the pan, and simmer for another minute.

Pour the hot vegetable and herb mixture (including all the butter) over the bread cubes in your large mixing bowl. Toss everything together gently but thoroughly, making sure every piece of bread gets coated with the flavorful butter and vegetables. The hot mixture will begin to soften the bread slightly, and that’s exactly what you want.

In a separate bowl, whisk together the remaining 1 1/2 cups of broth with the room-temperature eggs until well combined. Room temperature eggs incorporate more smoothly and create a more even custard-like binding. This mixture will soak into the bread and create a moist, cohesive stuffing rather than a dry, crumbly one.

Pour the broth-egg mixture over the bread and vegetable mixture, stirring gently to distribute it evenly throughout. Transfer everything to a buttered baking dish, spreading it in an even layer. Bake at 350°F for 45-50 minutes until the top is golden brown and a knife inserted in the center comes out clean. I like to cover the dish with foil for the first 30 minutes if the top is browning too quickly, then uncover it for the final 15-20 minutes to get that beautiful golden crust.

Remove the stuffing from the oven and let it rest for 10 minutes before serving. This allows the structure to set slightly and makes it easier to portion. Just before serving, sprinkle the top generously with fresh herbs like sage, parsley, or rosemary for a burst of color and fresh flavor.